Mandi: Regularise contractual staff, demands employee body

Dipender Manta

Mandi, March 11

The State Contract Employees Federation of Himachal has reiterated its demand to the state government to revoke the notification issued on December 2, 2023, and regularise the contractual employees before September 2024.

Neglect raising concerns

Contractual employees play an important role in the functioning of various departments of the state, including education, health and public services. The regularisation process which took place previously on the specified dates, provided a sense of stability and financial security to these workers. — Kameshwar Sharma, State Contract Employees Federation of Himachal president

Kameshwar Sharma, president of the federation said, “About 6,000 contractual employees are being ignored by the government. A notification was issued on December 2 for the regularisation of contractual employees, in which a provision was given to regularise the employees who have completed two years of contract tenure by March 31, 2024, in the financial year 2024-25. But in the earlier financial years, the process used to happen twice a year, on March 31 and September 30.”

“Contractual employees play an important role in the functioning of various departments of the state, including education, health and public services. The regularisation process which took place previously on the specified dates, provided a sense of stability and financial security to these workers. However, the recent neglect of this practice has raised questions over the government’s commitment to the well-being of contractual employees,” he added.

“It is important for the state government to acknowledge the seriousness of the matter and take immediate action to restore the biennial regularisation process. By doing so, it can demonstrate its commitment to fair labour practices, thereby providing a sense of security to the contractual workforce, which contributes significantly to the functioning of the state,” Sharma said.

“Currently, about 6,000 contractual employees who will complete their contract tenure in September 2024 are being greatly affected by the notification. After the notification issued on December 2 the State Contract Employees Federation met the Chief Minister and other cabinet ministers in Shimla from December 2023 till now, but did not get anything except assurance regarding the matter,” he added.

“Therefore, we urge the government to revoke the notification issued and regularise the contractual employees before September 2024,” said Sharma.